Series Thread: NBA Finals: Warriors vs Cavaliers

[Heatles84]

My biggest problem with him is not as a player but as a "GM." He basically told Cleveland to trade for Love and to give big deals to Thompson and J.R. Smith. Now, he's stuck with players who have virtually no chance of beating Golden State in the next couple years. From Cleveland's perspective, it's probably still worth it because they finally got a title. But I suspect they will have to trade a bunch of future draft picks to get teams to take those contracts off their hands (if they want to build a team around LeBron that has a chance of winning). It'll sort of be like the 80s, except there's now a rule in place so that they can't completely screw themselves in the future.

Oh, I definitely agree. TT would be a great player if he was making about $30-$40 mil compared to the $80-$85 mil he's making. JR of course was overpaid as well, and we know why - Rich Paul. You're right though, Lebron had a hand in the structure of this team and decided to go with offensive-minded players. Probably the one thing he didn't take away from his time in Miami, because it was our defense that was amongst the best in the league, not the offense. Now Cleveland is stuck with little to no room to improve. Something we've been saying for a couple of seasons now.

 

[Black Adam]

My biggest problem with him is not as a player but as a "GM." He basically told Cleveland to trade for Love and to give big deals to Thompson and J.R. Smith. Now, he's stuck with players who have virtually no chance of beating Golden State in the next couple years. From Cleveland's perspective, it's probably still worth it because they finally got a title. But I suspect they will have to trade a bunch of future draft picks to get teams to take those contracts off their hands (if they want to build a team around LeBron that has a chance of winning). It'll sort of be like the 80s, except there's now a rule in place so that they can't completely screw themselves in the future.

mine is the shit that comes out of his mouth. he can be ridiculous at times...

 

[gordontrue]

On local espn radio this morning: "Coming up at 2... Why we think tonight is the last game LeBron will play in a Cavs uniform."

Are people stupid? LeBron is under contract. Are the Cavs going to trade away LeBron?

 

[bksballer89]

If Lebron gets tired in the 2nd half again, it's not an excuse. 3 games now, and Lebron/Lue insists on playing at the Warriors pace? Lebron continuously said that they won't change. That's definitely not insane. It's on Lebron/Lue to slow the game down and/or get in the post. Lebron battered KD in the post in 2012, and can still do so to an extent. It's also on Lebron to pick his spots wisely, that way he can conserve energy

Lue is an idiot.

 

[gordontrue]

Oh, I definitely agree. TT would be a great player if he was making about $30-$40 mil compared to the $80-$85 mil he's making. JR of course was overpaid as well, and we know why - Rich Paul. You're right though, Lebron had a hand in the structure of this team and decided to go with offensive-minded players. Probably the one thing he didn't take away from his time in Miami, because it was our defense that was amongst the best in the league, not the offense. Now Cleveland is stuck with little to no room to improve. Something we've been saying for a couple of seasons now.

Yeah, but Cleveland is one of the franchises, imo, that its all worth it just for the 1 trophy. To Heat fans and Laker fans that sounds crazy. But to CLE fans, its all worth it.

TT's contract was worth it. Trading away Wiggins was worth it. Throwing away almost every 2nd round draft pick for the next 5 years was worth it. It was all worth it the moment they got the ring last year.

 

[knowyourenemy]

Oh, I definitely agree. TT would be a great player if he was making about $30-$40 mil compared to the $80-$85 mil he's making. JR of course was overpaid as well, and we know why - Rich Paul. You're right though, Lebron had a hand in the structure of this team and decided to go with offensive-minded players. Probably the one thing he didn't take away from his time in Miami, because it was our defense that was amongst the best in the league, not the offense. Now Cleveland is stuck with little to no room to improve. Something we've been saying for a couple of seasons now.

Sort of a tangent -- but I go crazy when people bash Chris Bosh, especially if those same people give praise to Kevin Love. Bosh is about 10 times better than him -- and so much better than Love defensively. He was instrumental in those Heat championships.

 

[Heatles84]

Yeah, but Cleveland is one of the franchises, imo, that its all worth it just for the 1 trophy. To Heat fans and Laker fans that sounds crazy. But to CLE fans, its all worth it.

TT's contract was worth it. Trading away Wiggins was worth it. Throwing away almost every 2nd round draft pick for the next 5 years was worth it. It was all worth it the moment they got the ring last year.

Well, that's great and all. But later on, you wonder what could've been if you made a move in a different direction instead of oversigning guys. For all the boasting that Wiggy has done, and getting Lebron back at 30 still playing at his apex. To get 1 title after all that bragging would be a significant disappointment. Especially given that the Cavs are just about a guarantee to come out of the East for the foreseeable future.

 

[knowyourenemy]

Yeah, but Cleveland is one of the franchises, imo, that its all worth it just for the 1 trophy. To Heat fans and Laker fans that sounds crazy. But to CLE fans, its all worth it.

TT's contract was worth it. Trading away Wiggins was worth it. Throwing away almost every 2nd round draft pick for the next 5 years was worth it. It was all worth it the moment they got the ring last year.

I get that, but imagine a team with LeBron, Irving, Wiggins. They'd match up much better than LeBron/Irving/Love. And they'd have more money to spend. And LeBron may not have to complain about the team being "top heavy."

 

[gordontrue]

Well, that's great and all. But later on, you wonder what could've been if you made a move in a different direction instead of oversigning guys. For all the boasting that Wiggy has done, and getting Lebron back at 30 still playing at his apex. To get 1 title after all that bragging would be a significant disappointment. Especially given that the Cavs are just about a guarantee to come out of the East for the foreseeable future.

Oh yeah, all of that is fair. I never saw it the way Wiggy did I guess.

Going forward, I get second-guessing decisions... but if its a decision that led to that title last year... I personally wouldn't second-guess it.

 

[gordontrue]

I get that, but imagine a team with LeBron, Irving, Wiggins. They'd match up much better than LeBron/Irving/Love. And they'd have more money to spend. And LeBron may not have to complain about the team being "top heavy."

And they might be losing their 3rd straight Finals, the city of Cleveland looking on still ringless.

Having a blossoming Wiggins sounded more promising before the Warriors came into existence. In hindsight, making a move for the present over the future looks even more correct than it already did, imo.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I don't think LeBron is the GOAT. I have never thought LeBron was the GOAT. There is a very, very good chance that I will never think that LeBron is the GOAT.

But it has absolutely fucking nothing to do with getting swept in the Finals. Of all the things you could point to to explain why LeBron isn't the GOAT (and there are plenty of things)... dragging Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden's sorry excuse for asses to the Finals in 07 sure as hell aint one of them. Neither is averaging a 30 point triple double in the Finals while getting his ass kicked by what is quite possibly the greatest team of all time.

That's arbitrary bullshit that only appeals to people who can't be bothered to think critically for a second of their life.

Gordon: dropping science like Galileo dropped the orange.

 

[knowyourenemy]

And they might be losing their 3rd straight Finals, the city of Cleveland looking on still ringless.

Having a blossoming Wiggins sounded more promising before the Warriors came into existence. In hindsight, making a move for the present over the future looks even more correct than it already did, imo.

Because Love was so important in the 2015-2016 Finals? The way I see it -- Love is a total waste of a roster spot when Cleveland matches up against Golden State. The fact he gets $25 million per year is just depressing when considering that Wiggins would be making a fraction of that and the remaining money could have been used elsewhere.

 

[knowyourenemy]

Because Love was so important in the 2015-2016 Finals? The way I see it -- Love is a total waste of a roster spot when Cleveland matches up against Golden State. The fact he gets $25 million per year is just depressing when considering that Wiggins would be making a fraction of that and the remaining money could have been used elsewhere.

But I guess focusing on hypothetical situations is a waste of time. As it is, Cleveland won a title in 2016. All that matters.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

All this talk about Durant, and rightfully so, but do people realize Klay has been the best offensive player and defensive player for the Warriors the last 2 games? He is so criminally underrated and not talked about.

Hell, around here, it's the entire Warriors team. A lot of posts here are more focused on how Lebron is not getting it done, as opposed to holy shit, what an off-the-hook team the Warriors are. Last year they won more regular season games than any team in history, then add a badass and are on the verge of sweeping the playoffs, which has never been done.

They seem like a bunch of dick-sniffers (I have to admit though, the bit I saw about KD calling his moms the MVP was touching), but this Warriors team is amazing.

 

[gordontrue]

Because Love was so important in the 2015-2016 Finals? The way I see it -- Love is a total waste of a roster spot when Cleveland matches up against Golden State. The fact he gets $25 million per year is just depressing when considering that Wiggins would be making a fraction of that and the remaining money could have been used elsewhere.

Yes. He was.

He is the biggest reason outside of LeBron that they got to the Finals well-rested and healthy, with just 2 losses. He put up 20 & 13 vs the Hawks while shooting 48% from downtown.

His Finals numbers look worse than reality, because he was concussed out of 1 game, missed the next game completely, then came off the bench the next game. But he came through in a lot of ways and ultimately got the job done. Had a huge 3 in Game 6. Saved the Cavs with his 14 rebounds in Game 7. And of course the defensive effort on Curry to closeout Game 7.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Sincere apologies, @PEOPLESCHICKEN, the above are not my words. My account was hacked. HACKED, I tell you!

On second thought, maybe that Nimrod is on to something?

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Lue is an idiot.

He is showing is weakness and inexperience as a coach. Another "Baby Bron-Bron" request gone bad

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

The other rumor is LeBron to the Lakers.

I would laugh all three of my balls clean off if this happened. To see all of the Lebron-obsessed Lakers fans (every single Laker fan on Earth, especially @trojanfan12), pull a complete 180 on James would be hysterical.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Sincere apologies, @PEOPLESCHICKEN, the above are not my words. My account was hacked. HACKED, I tell you!

Its all good man, Russians are hacking twitter accounts specifically in NE Ohio..FACT!